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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Daring to do it: Challah!

The post this long is going to be a bit long. But it is also very special. This month I was the host of the Daring Baker's challenge. This was so much fun. I loved learning along with all of my fellow Bakers, and seeing everyone play with challah! Huge thanks to Lis for giving me this chance, and endless love and thanks to the Bakers who played along!

And now for the long version of what I had to say about challah....

In
almost all cultures, tradition and food go hand in hand.Growing up in a traditionally Jewish
household, holidays and celebrations are always centered around the table.One of the most identifiable foods at the
Jewish celebration table is the beautiful, braided bread – challah!Even though we had challah every week, it was
something we actually didn’t bake ourselves.Our mom said it was the one type of bread that never turned out for her,
so I just kind of assumed it would be too hard.As a “grown up,” though, I decided to give it a chance, and discovered
that it was a lot of fun, and a great way to make my own Sabbath tradition.

Believe
it or not, the word “challah” does not actually mean bread.Any whole loaves can be used at the Sabbath
or holiday table for the traditional blessing.Challah, instead, is the word referring to the portion of bread which,
in the days of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, was set aside and given to the
high priests.These days the challah
portion is taken before the bread is baked, and is ritually burned as an
offering.There are specific guidelines
concerning when the mitzvah (commandment) of challah is required – it has to do
with how much flour is used.The recipes
I have provided are small enough that the challah portion would not need to be
taken.(I have actually never done this
ritual – though I think I have made challah recipes which were big enough that,
technically, I should have…It is a
learning process at all stages!)

A brief historical
introduction:

Challah
is a bread of celebration in Jewish tradition.At a time when white flour was considered a luxury, its use was reserved
for either the wealthy or for festive events.In Judaism, the Sabbath is a weekly holiday, and therefore is a festive
occasion.It was around the 15th
century when Jews in parts of Austria and Germany adopted an oval braided loaf
from their neighbors to make the Sabbath special.These fancy shaped loaves made with white
flour were seen as a fitting way to honor the Shabbat (Sabbath),
symbolized in Jewish culture as a queen, therefore deserving of the finest one
can achieve.In honoring the Sabbath as
a day of rest, two loaves are traditionally put on the table.This is generally seen as a representation of
the double portion of manna provided to the Children of Israel on Fridays
during their wandering in the desert after fleeing from Egypt.This double portion allowed them to maintain
the commandment to not do “work” on the Sabbath.

Another
symbolic comparison to the manna eaten by the Israelites is the fact that
challah is traditionally covered with a cloth prior to being blessed and
eaten.According to tradition, manna was
encased in dew to preserve its freshness. Covering the challah with a decorative
cloth serves as another reminder of the special quality of the day of
rest.There are other explanations given
regarding why the challah is covered.The one which I always liked was that we cover the loaves so they will
not be “embarrassed” by having to wait while the wine is blessed first.(A traditional Sabbath dinner begins with a
blessing over the wine first, followed by the blessing of the bread, after
which the meal is enjoyed.)

Recipe
Source:The recipes provided for the challenge came
from or were inspired by recipes found through a variety of online sources
(including, but not limited to allrecipes.com).Also invaluable was the book “A Taste of Challah,” by Tamar Ansh.

Blog-checking
lines:May’s Daring Bakers’ Challenge was pretty
twisted – Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to make challah!Using recipes from all over, and tips from “A
Taste of Challah,” by Tamar Ansh, she encouraged us to bake beautifully braided
breads.

Posting Date:May 27, 2012

Notes: What makes
challah truly stand out is the distinctive braid.There are many ways, though, in which challah
can be shaped.While the recipes are
important to this type of bread, it really is the shaping which makes it
special.Braiding is an intertwining of
separate pieces into one combined entity.This is symbolic of the intertwining of the everyday and the holy, and
of the coming together of family and friends.Some notes about the most common braids and shapes:

Three strand braid:This is the easiest of the braids –
especially if you have ever braided hair.Many attribute a word to each of the three strands used: zachor (remember), shamor (observe or guard), and b’dibur
echad (with one word).The braiding
of the three words is a physical reminder of the importance of remembering and
observing the Sabbath as one commandment.

Four strand braid:There is not a lot of information written as
to the cultural significance of the four strands.Rather, it is viewed as a way to elaborate on
the more common three strand braid in order to fulfill the obligation to
beautify the commandment and make it more special.

Six strand braid: There are
traditionally two challah loaves on the Sabbath table.Using the six strand braid, that brings
twelve pieces to the table.These twelve
strands can be symbolic of the twelve tribes of the Children of Israel.Many also use the twelve pieces to represent
the twelve “showbreads” used in the Jewish Temple on special occasions.

Four strand braided round:Traditionally used on the Jewish New Year,
round breads have no beginning and no end. They are used as an example of the
cycle of life, the cycle of the year, and the continuity of the Jewish
calendar.

Other common shapes: Challah is
shaped in a variety of ways for different Jewish holidays.Prior to fasting on Yom Kippur, the Day of
Attonement, many people eat loaves shaped like ladders to symbolize the desire
to rise up to greater heights.On
Shavuot, the holiday commemorating receiving the ten commandments, loaves can
be shaped like tablets.Bird shaped
challah loaves are symbols of protection and forgiveness.

Making strands: There are two basic
methods for forming the strands used to braid challah.The first, and easiest, is to simply roll
snakes between your hands like when working with clay or play dough.The second method is to use a rolling pin to
roll out a flat disc of dough, then using your hands to roll the disc into a
snake, rolling the snake on the counter with your fingers to achieve the length
you need.This second method does result
in a better rise, but either way works well.Whichever method you use, form your strands such that they are thinner
at the ends and fuller in the middle.This will help your challah rise in the center.

Tip: If you are new to braiding – do yourself a favor
and practice before you shape your dough!Over working the dough will make for a tough loaf.Practice your braiding or shaping with clay
or play dough first in order to become more comfortable.Videos of how to do a variety of braids can
be found in the additional information section.

Egg Wash:Egg wash is
used to enhance the top crust of the challah.It adds shine and crispness, and enhances the beauty of the breads.While a single coat is sufficient, a double
coat works beautifully.Brush your
beaten egg and water mixture on the loaves directly after shaping, then allow
to proof. Brush again just before baking, adding any toppings you were planning
to use.

Mandatory Items: You must make
an enriched bread which is braided or shaped.If you must use a loaf pan,
the bread should be braided before it goes into the pan.Videos of several braiding methods are in the
additional information section, and other tutorials are available on-line.(The videos were done with four wonderful
children – mine and my sister’s- playing in the background, sorry if they were
distracting!)

Variations allowed:Challah comes in many
different shapes, sizes and flavors.Raisins, chocolate chips and other additions can be kneaded into the
dough, loaves can be topped with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, vanilla sugar or
other flavorful sprinklings, and filled challahs can be a lot of fun and very
tasty, too!Braiding and shaping,
though, become more difficult when the rolled strands have fillings in
them.Use your own discretion and
comfort level to determine what degree of difficulty you are ready for.Gluten free and egg free bakers can use the
recipe links in the additional information section, or use other substitutions
with which you are comfortable.(All of
the recipes provided here are dairy free, as Jewish dietary laws prohibit
eating dairy and meat at the same meal.If you prefer not to use margarine, unsalted butter can be substituted.)

Preparation time:As a general rule, challah takes about 4-6
hours from start to finish.This
includes making the dough, at least two risings, baking and cooling.Specific recipes take slightly different
amounts of time, and the first rise can be done overnight in the refrigerator
if you prefer.Please read through the
recipes for specific times.Following
are approximates for most.

Mixing and kneading the dough: 20 min.

First rise: 1 ½ to 2 hours

Punching down, second rise: 1 hour (not all recipes
have this second rise)

Storage & Freezing
Instructions/Tips:

Once
cooled, challah loaves which will not be eaten right away (or in the next couple
of days) should be bagged in heavy duty freezer bags.Remove excess air from the bag before
securing it tightly (tying a knot or using tape).Put the bagged loaf/loaves into the freezer
as soon as possible to ensure fresh taste; frozen challah will keep
approximately three months.

Additional
Information:

Egg
free recipes: This recipe uses baking powder for the egg-replacer.The resulting loaves were light and fluffy,
and tasted better than I thought they would!

39 comments:

This was an excellent DB challenge. Thank you Ruth! And for all the information you've given about challah. Your "go-to" recipe is now mine too! The rolled oats were such a nice addition.Also, I thought it was awesome that you replied to practically every comment and post in the DB forum. You really put a lot of time and effort into hosting this challenge, so thank you once again!

Ruth, thank you for this wonderful challenge!!! I have really loved getting to know challah better this month, and I really love this bread!! You did an awesome job hosting this month's challenge!!! :)

Thanx Ruth for a wonderful challenge and for introducing us to this braided beauties. You really are an awesome host for you were there whole month answering/commenting/guiding each new entry or comment on the daring kitchen.Once again thank you, we really had a great time.Have a nice day!Anuja

Ruth, Thank you for such a great challenge and you are a wonderful host. Loved the videos so much. Like I said in the forums, you are one of the fastest braiders I've ever seen! I only wish the humidity didn't kill my braiding :( I can't wait to try the 4-strand round loaf once the humidity breaks!

Ruth, thank you so much for this month's challenge. I learned a lot, and not just about baking. I really enjoyed it and look forward to making more challah in the future, in all kinds of shapes and sizes. I've linked up your post now so that anyone who reads my post can come over here and see how it's really done! x

Thank you, Ruth, for this amazing challenge and thorough instructions. (And the etymology of the word 'challah' - always wondered why we had 'lechem' too) I also can't believe how good it came out. Your video instructions on the braiding were truly excellent. :)

Great job hosting, Ruth! This was such a great challenge, as I've really been meaning to make Challah. And I'm so glad I did because it was WAY easier than I remembered! Mine didn't turn out quite as beatiful as your loaves though...yours are so perfect!!!

I didn't want to miss the oportunity to thank you for the great challenge you prepared for us, getting to know this bread was so fun and delicious.I also had the chance to take a look at your blog and think I came here to stay!!Thanks again.Ana

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As with any crafter I have encountered, I do not come up with all of my ideas on my own! (I might be good, but no way am I THAT good!) I use books, magazines, websites, friends and the world at large to come up with "my" crafts, creativity and activities. All efforts will be made to give credit where credit is due, either through links, thanks or bibliographical information. I apologize in advance if something is not credited as well as it could be. If you see something that needs better information, let me know and I am happy to fix it!And thank you to all of the crafters out there who share their work, allowing busy moms to add to our arsenals!!

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About Me

I am a preschool teaching mom who loves to dabble in most things crafty. Cooking, baking, knitting, crocheting, sewing, scrapbooking... It's my mission to make as much as I can for myself and my family - and to encourage my girls to try their hands at anything they wants to do, and to always know the strength in their minds and hearts!